


Heart Eyes

by IBoatedHere



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 01:30:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5987533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Caleb obviously said yes. </p><p>There isn't a universe I would write where he would say no. </p><p>Actually I might. I might do that.</p></blockquote>





	Heart Eyes

When Ben gets to work there’s a box of chocolates on his desk. 

“What’s this?” He asks Nathan as he drops his bag on the ground. 

“Chocolate.”

Ben rolls his eyes, sits down and starts his computer. “Yeah, I can see that.”

“It was there when I got here. That’s the good stuff.”

It is. It’s expensive, high quality, chocolate from the Swiss company a few blocks over. 

“I didn’t even know these guys delivered.”

“They’ll do anything for the right price.”

“There’s no card,” Ben says, picking up the box then popping off the lid. 

“Like you don’t know who it’s from?”

“Caleb and I agreed we weren’t exchanging gifts this year.”

“Obviously he didn’t listen.”

“We both agreed Valentine’s Day is a made up holiday.”

“So you’re one of those people.”

“It’s nice when you’re first dating someone but we’ve been together since high school.”

“And the romance is dead?”

“It’s not dead. It’s just matured. We don’t need chocolates and gifts to show each other how much we mean to each other.”

“Then you must have a secret admirer.”

Ben glances around the office, there aren’t many people at their desks yet, then looks down at the chocolates. “One of them is missing.”

“I taste tested,” Nathan shrugs. 

Ben gapes at him. 

“There was no card. It was suspicious. I had to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. I feel fine so eat up.”

The chocolates are delicious. 

*****

At 9 o’clock, Peggy, the receptionist calls him that there’s a delivery for him at the front desk. 

Its flowers. A dozen red roses in a glass vase wrapped in a red ribbon. 

“Valentine’s Day gift?” She asks; wistful and a little sad. Everyone knows the story of Peggy’s tragic love life. She was in a very serious and not so secret relationship with one of the associates, John Andre. Then John packed up and moved back to London and Peggy kind of fell into a new relationship with Benedict Arnold, who works directly under Washington. Everyone knows she could do better. Ben tries to stay out of office gossip but they make it hard. 

“I guess so,” Ben shrugs, like it’s no big deal, trying to spare her feelings.

“That’s so nice,” She sighs and Ben practically runs away from her. 

“Chocolates and flowers?” Nathan looks up from his computer. “Caleb’s showing you up.”

“There’s still no card,” Ben tells Nathan. “Could be from anyone.”

“But it’s definitely not.”

****

An hour later he gets another call from Peggy. 

This time it’s a card. 

When he opens it at his desk little heart shaped confetti spills out onto his lap and all over his desk. Love Story by Taylor Swift starts to play and Ben closes it quickly to stop it. Everyone looks up at him. 

“Is that signed?”

Ben opens it just enough to see the inside without it starting to play. 

“Nope. But this is definitely Caleb.”

****

At ten Peggy unceremoniously drops a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries onto his desk.

“Here you go, thought I’d save you the trip.”

Ben gives her a half hearted smile then slowly pushes the strawberries towards Nathan, letting him know he should help himself (he does) as she walks away.

“I feel bad for her,” Ben says.

“Why?” Nathan asks around a strawberry.

“Because Arnold is a douche.”

“That’s not your fault.”

“I know but she’s watching me get all this stuff…”

“You’re too nice. She’ll get over it.”

**** 

She doesn’t get over it because forty minutes later she drops a box wrapped in red paper with pink hearts on it onto his desk without a word. 

It’s a new watch, the one he knows Caleb knows he’s been eyeing for months. 

He shuts the box and pulls on his coat.

“Where are you going,” Nathan pulls out another strawberry. 

“I have to go get Peggy something.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I can’t keep looking at her looking at me like that. I won’t be gone long.”

****

When he returns with half a dozen pink roses she almost starts to cry and hugs him.

When she pulls away she pats his shoulder and tips her head to the side. “You have something at your desk.”

“What is it this time?”

She smiles and sniffs the roses, spirit lifted. “You’ll see.”

****

“Oh my god.” 

There’s a four foot stuffed teddy bear sitting in his chair.

Nathan has his hand over his face to stop himself from laughing. 

“This is too much.”

“This is amazing.”

“How am I supposed to get this home?” He lifts the bear by the ear and drops it on the floor. “How am I supposed to get any of this home?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

****

Over the remaining hours he gets a tin of gourmet popcorn, brownies, and cookies. 

Nathan eats half of everything he gets so he’s able to consolidate some of the tins but when the days over he still has an armful of gifts and a giant teddy bear to drag home with him. 

It’s a miracle that he gets it on the subway and into the elevator of their building with him. 

He carries the bear to the door, drops it to unlock the door, then picks it up and tosses it inside. The popcorn tin slips from his grasp and rattles to the floor. Ben huffs out a breath and drops his bag on the floor. He nudges the presents aside so he can close the door. 

There are more flowers on the table, which is set for dinner with a table cloth and the fancy china they don’t even use when Ben’s dad comes to visit. Two white candles are burning, the flames creating a soft glow around the apartment. 

Caleb is standing at the stove with his back to him. Ben can tell he’s smiling.

“Welcome home, honey. Did you have a good day?” 

“I thought we said we weren’t exchanging gifts?”

Caleb twists halfway around, still holding a wooden spoon his hand. “Oh, you got gifts?”

Ben makes his way over to him and wraps his arms around his waist from behind, hooks his chin over Caleb’s shoulder, and presses a kiss to the side of his neck. 

“I had to go buy the receptionist flowers at lunch.”

“Arnold didn’t get her anything?”

The office gossip is widespread and well known.

“I had to bring that bear on the subway with me.”

Caleb’s body shakes with laughter.

“People were staring at me.”

“People always stare at you.”

“They were judging me.”

“They were probably just jealous that you’re taken.”

“You think too highly of me.”

Caleb puts the spoon down and turns in his arms. 

“I think I love you and I’m lucky to have you even after all these years.”

Ben blushes and ducks his head to kiss him, briefly. 

“I feel bad,” He mumbles against his lips. “You got me all this stuff…”

“You don’t have to feel bad about not getting me anything,” Caleb rests his hand over Ben’s heart. “We said we weren’t doing anything this year. Having you here right now is enough for me.”

Ben shakes his head and reaches into his pocket. 

“I feel bad that you got me all this stuff and I only got you one thing.”

He pulls out the small box he’s been carrying around with him for weeks and drops to one knee in front of Caleb.

**Author's Note:**

> Caleb obviously said yes. 
> 
> There isn't a universe I would write where he would say no. 
> 
> Actually I might. I might do that.


End file.
